Paying for Your Sins
by merrybandofmisfits
Summary: Mike thinks everything back at Graceland is all tied up, until he learns about the mysterious disappearance of Abby. He had not taken Bello's words seriously, but it seems that he really is about to pay for his sins. But is it just a plot to get back at Mike or is it something more? The answer could mean no one at Graceland is safe. Warning: Violence.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Graceland or any of it's characters.**

Okay, so I am going to be honest here and say that this plot came out of nowhere, but I'm getting so many ideas for it now. It takes place just after Mike returns to DC. He thinks everything back at Graceland is all tied up, until he learns about the mysterious disappearance of Abby. He had not taken Bello's words seriously, but it seems that he really is about to pay for his sins. Is it just a plot to get back at Mike or is it something more? The answer could mean no one at Graceland is safe. Rated M for violence as of right now.

* * *

_"I don't know, I don't know! I haven't talked to him in weeks... Please... PLEASE!"_

_Tears flooded down the girl's face as she struggled against the ropes that held her wrists together behind her. The man holding the knife in front of her didn't even flinch. She let out another scream, trying to lunge herself at the man in some hope of knocking him off balance. She barely managed to move an inch._

_"Don't lie to me!" _

_"I'm not- I'm not lying!"_

_"Listen, baby," the man held the side of her face with his free hand and she flinched away, causing him to tighten his grip. "I don't wanna hurt you." Of course, as he said the words, he pressed the knife up to her arm, just hard enough for her to know it was there. "But you have to tell me. Who is Michael Warren?" _

_"I already-"_

_"MICHAEL WARREN IS NOT A FUCKING PILOT!"_

_Abby screamed as the knife sliced her skin._

_"He is a murderer!"_

_Abby shook her head, sobs racking her body. No, this didn't make any sense. Her mind flashed back to that night - Paige and the gun, the gun on his dresser, the lack of explanations. A few possibilities had run through her mind, but nothing like this. He was not a murderer, she was sure of that. _

_"He isn't!" Her voice was hoarse from screaming. She didn't understand what was happening. This man, he didn't seem like anyone Mike would have associated with. His accent was thick and unfamiliar. His home, or she assumed it was his home, barely seemed inhabitable. It was dirty, but crowded with things that seemed much too expensive to be there. _

_"He IS!" The man screamed, knife digging deeper into her skin, hand moving to her mouth to muffle her cries of pain. "Many died because of him."_

_Abby couldn't do anything but shake her head, trying to cower away from him._

_"And the boss is right, he will pay for his sins." _

* * *

"Wait, what?"

Mike could barely comprehend what Charlie was saying. It didn't make any sense. He hadn't talked to Abby in months, he had assumed she returned to the East Coast like she had been intending to do. He hadn't given her much thought. He'd tried not to. He'd messed things up with her, he knew that much. But he had never expected her to be put in danger.

"She's been missing three days. The bureau told us because it was in the area..."

"They- They don't know anything?"

"Someone keyed her car, Mikey."

What the fuck?

"What... What did it say?" His heart dropped to the pit of his stomach.

"You will pay for your sins."

Mike felt like he was going to be sick. The message was clearly not one meant for Abby. If it was, the person would have just said it in person. No, this was supposed to be public. This was supposed to get to him. He knew it. But how? Bello was in prison. But Bello was the only person to use those words. And why Abby? She was an intentional target. Charlie didn't even need to explain that to him. Her car was at home. She was last seen out with friends. Whoever it was knew where Abby lived.

"No, no, no, no..."

"Mikey, it's okay, they'll find her..."

"I'm going back to Graceland. I'm telling them I'm going back to Graceland."

Why would someone hurt her? He already knew the answer. It was to get back at him. To make him pay. Regardless of whether or not he still had feelings for her, which honestly he was confused about, he knew he had to fix this. If it was one of Bello's men who had her... He shuddered even thinking about it.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I obviously do not own Graceland.**

A/N: Thank you for reading and I hope you all enjoy! Reviews would be great!

* * *

_"You are going to tell me something."_

_Abby wasn't even tied up anymore. She was just too weak to move. She leaned against the wall, just wishing she could sleep. She didn't feel anything but pain. Pain from the cuts in her arm and the bruises just about everywhere else. She just wanted this to be over. She didn't answer him, she didn't even feel like using the energy it would take to talk. _

_"You are going to tell me Michael's phone number."_

_Abby knew she shouldn't. She shouldn't give it to him. But he had the knife pressed against her collar bone, and she knew exactly what would happen if she refused. She just couldn't take it anymore. How many days had it been? She didn't know. _

_"W- Why?" Her voice was barely a whisper._

_"We're going to give him a call."_

* * *

"Welcome back, Mikey!" Johnny was trying to lighten the mood, as usual. But despite how happy he was to see his friends, to be back at the place that had come to feel like home, the thought of Abby had him preoccupied. He had been forced to tell the bureau about their relationship - he'd had no other choice. Of course, they would have let him return to Graceland anyway. He could write himself a ticket to just about anywhere.

"I don't think he's actually in the mood for hugs, Johnny."

Jakes wasn't always the one that he would expect to understand him, but at this moment, he was right.

"Sorry, man..." Johnny held his hands up and backed away.

"Have you heard anything?"

"Wish I could say we have." That was Briggs, being his usual calm self. It was as if he'd never left. "I'm trying to get in contact with some of Bello's men. They don't exactly trust me after the whole-"

"Yeah, no, I get it. They won't tell you anything." Mike didn't need an explanation, he needed to get to work.

"This isn't your fault, Mike."

How was it that Briggs - that all of them - seemed to know exactly what he was thinking at all times? He supposed that wasn't really true. He lied to the entire house and got away with it for months. But this, he was sure, was obvious in the way his face was twisted into a permanent frown, guilt written all over it. How could he have been so careless? How could he have let this happen? One of Bello's men had to have seen him with Abby. In fact, they would have had to know quite a bit about her. And for all his careful planning and the precautions he'd taken, that hadn't kept her safe. This was so, so much more than the broken heart he thought he'd left her with.

"Yeah? Well Abby is in the hands of Bello's men, and that wouldn't have happened if I hadn't gotten involved with her, so." His eyes met Paige's then, and a surge of... _something_ passed between the two of them. Deja vu, mostly. And confusion.

The tension in the air was palpable. No one knew what to say. The entire house was there for him, supporting him, but no one could deny the truth of his last statement.

"Yeah but no one would have expected one of them to know about her!" Johnny spoke up, clearly just trying to make things better. "It ain't your fault! He has some crazy ass stalker-"

"Thanks, Johnny..." Mike cut him off, trying to smile but failing for the most part.

"I was just saying..."

"Johnny, we know." Paige cut him off this time, and Johnny just sighed in defeat. "And we also know Mike, which means he is going to want to get to work."

She took a few cautious steps towards him, and Mike just stayed rooted to the spot, unsure of what to do. She reached out and put her hand on his shoulder, looking at him sternly, expression unreadable. "You'll get her, Mike. I know you will."

He could do nothing but nod in response.

"Now c'mon, let's get you-"

Mikes phone started ringing in his pocket and he dug for it quickly. He hadn't been expecting a call, so he figured it was the bureau.

"Can't anyone finish a sentence around here?" Johnny got a couple of smiles with that one.

Mikes faded as soon as he answered the phone. He didn't recognize the number.

"Hello?"

"Hello, Michael."

There was no mistaking who it was. The whimper he heard in the background almost confirmed it. He had to fight to keep his cool, knowing that if he blew up on the man, he might hang up. His expression had alerted his roommates, and Paige was probably close enough to hear what was going on on the other line. Everyone looked at him with serious expressions.

"Who is this?"

"Afraid I can't tell you that, Michael. But I don't think you know my name anyway. I think you know my friend, here, though."

He could hear shuffling, a muffled groan, and a whispered threat.

_"If you scream I will shoot you right now, understand?"_

_"I won't!"_

Mike felt sick to his stomach. Her voice sounded so weak, so pained.

"Abby? Abby! Are you okay? It's going to be okay..."

"Mike... Help, please..."

"Shut up!"

If Mike was there, cooped up in the small car in the middle of nowhere, he would have seen him yank her hair back, pulling her away from the phone. Mike heard her yelp and felt like he was going to be sick right there.

"Don't lie to her, Mike. You are going to pay for your sins. I am going to kill her like you killed my friends."

He could hear crying through the one and he couldn't take it anymore.

"I did not do this to your friends! They did it. You know what you were doing when you got involved in a thing like that. Caza did this."

"Caza did not kill Eddie."

"Eddie killed himself!"

The others had caught on to who he was talking to by now, and Paul nearly dragged him up the stairs. He didn't even need to tell him to keep him on the phone as long as possible. Mike only hoped that this guy was as stupid as he assumed. They could track the phone he called from. It could lead right to her. He could only hope that this was the case. It was the only hope he had.

"You are wrong."

"Please, just let her go. This has nothing to do with her. Do you want me to meet with you? I'll do it. We'll work this out." He wasn't sure how much this guy knew about him, but he hoped that he didn't know he was FBI. Though, something told him that he did. Still, there was a chance.

"It's been nice talking to you, Michael. But I have to get going. Say goodbye, sweetheart."

"Mike, pl-"

Her voice was cut off abruptly, but the phone was still connected for a brief moment. He must have thrown it out the window.

Mike stood in stunned silence for a while before finally putting down the phone, taking a deep breath to compose himself.

"We have to track that call. But I don't think he has the phone anymore."


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: Obviously I don't own Graceland.**

_A/N: Finally another chapter. Hope you all enjoy!_

* * *

Mike got almost no sleep for the next two days. Obviously, they all had cases, they all had things to concentrate on. Mike was more absorbed than he had ever been. It was his fault that Abby was stuck with that man, and he was going to get her out. He should not have been so careless. Much more than his cover had been at risk.

If it weren't for the adrenaline pumping through his veins, he wouldn't even be awake right now. But Briggs was visiting Bello in prison.

_"Mikey, why don't you take a break while I'm gone? You can't do much of anything anyway." _

Of course, Mike hadn't listened. He was too distraught to sleep even if he tried. Despite everyone's attempts to comfort him, he was not able to shake the sound of her screaming out of his ears.

He sat at his desk, phone out in front of him, forcing himself to sit still though it was nearly impossible. He wanted to be doing something, anything, to help. But he wasn't in a position to do so. Paul was right - if Bello's men were going to trust anyone, it would be him. He was, of course, using his old cover. If he were bitter and betrayed by Mike as well, it might even work. Though, in Mike's opinion, he had much better luck with Bello's followers than he did with Bello himself. They were far less intelligent.

He rested his head in his hands, rubbing his eyes, trying to make some sense out of all of this. Briggs was right, he needed sleep. But he just couldn't. He slammed his fist on the desk in frustration, so incredibly angry.

Barely a second later, there was a soft knock at his door.

"Yeah?" he mumbled the words. He knew it would be one of his housemates, trying again to comfort him. Didn't they realize that was impossible?

"Mike?" it was Paige's voice that answered. It surprised him slightly. She hadn't been talking to him much at all. He didn't know if she was upset with him or if she was just the only one who understood that nothing could really help him right now - that their attempts to comfort him just made things more difficult.

"Come in..."

The door opened slowly, Paige slowly peeked inside. It was so unlike her. She seemed almost timid. Was he really that bad?

"Are you alright, Mike?"

Well, that was a stupid question, regardless of whether or not she was trying to help. He took a deep breath, knowing he would regret it if he snapped at her.

"Considering everything? I'm fine."

"No, I know you're not _okay, _Mike. I just mean... You need to get some rest. Or, let some of help you. You're smart, you should know you can't do this alone."

"Briggs is going to talk to Bello right now, he's he-"

"I mean, you need to trust that we're doing whatever we can, too."

Mike sighed, at a loss for words. It wasn't like he hadn't thought of that. It wasn't as if he doubted it. He would trust these people with his life, and on many occasions he had. But this was his fault, he couldn't leave it in their hands. He couldn't rest until Abby was safe again.

"Mike!" Paige was just staring at him, arms crossed, clearly frustrated. "We're agents too, we've dealt with things like this before. We're doing everything we can to help her, but do you really think you're going to be able to help if you're sitting there half dead?"

"I'm not half dead. I'm fine."

"Your eyes are red, you look exhausted, you've barely left this room. I don't think you're fine, and I don't think you're in any condition to go out looking for her. You're lost, Mike."

And the deja vu came crashing back at him once more. It was always Paige who saw him like this, at his weakest. At his worst moments.

He swallowed, jaw clenched as he looked back at her, hoping that he did not appear as helpless as he probably did. She was right - he was lost. He didn't know what to do. He had to make things better but he just didn't know how.

"It's going to be okay, Mike." Paige didn't say anything else, she just looked at him matter-of-factly before stepping past him to close his laptop. "Get some rest. If Briggs calls, I'll wake you up."

Mike would argue, but he was just too exhausted. Finally, he nodded, uncrossing his arms. Maybe she was right and some rest would do him some good. There had to be some clues as to where she was, he just had to figure it out. But at the moment he was in no condition to do that.

Paige didn't leave until he collapsed in bed, head buried in his pillow. Of course he didn't let himself cry until she was gone.

* * *

"He's not coming."

Abby just glared at the man who was so familiar to her now, shaking her head. He'd find her, he had to.

"He'll will."

He just laughed, shaking his head.

After he'd had her call Mike, he had driven them back to the house they'd been staying in. Luckily, he hadn't thought to blindfold her. She could at least get some grasp on where she was. She didn't know how exactly she'd use it yet, but Mike was smart. If he called again, maybe she could give him some clue. It appeared to be an urban area, but an older part of the city.

He pulled her out of the car once they arrived, it was just a small house. 121st Ave. Her eyes scanned the house for an address. She couldn't give it to him directly but maybe if she worded it some other way... 3262. 3262 121st Ave. Wherever they were. She could use that.

"C'mon, Princess, enough sight seeing," the man smirked as he led her inside. No one even seemed to notice anything out of the ordinary, if anyone saw at all. It was all closed windows with the shades down, mostly decrepit looking houses. It only made her feel more alone. Was there anyone else here at all?


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own Graceland. **

_A/N: Thanks to those who are reading! Hope you enjoy this chapter._

* * *

"He wouldn't tell me anything."

Mike just nodded, staring back at Briggs as he tried to pretend like the words just didn't come crashing down on him. Of course he had been expecting them - why would Bello openly trust Briggs after Mike's cover was blown? He had poor judgement at best. At worst, he'd been working with the FBI the whole time. That was how Bello saw it, Mike was positive.

"But he knows?"

He needed to at least know that. If Bello knew about it, there was still some chance that maybe they'd be able to strike a deal with him. Get him to give up a name in return for something else. Of course, that hadn't worked out very well when they'd been trying to find out Odin's identity, but Mike was ready to hold onto just about any shred of hope that he could.

"He seems to, unless he's bluffing. He didn't tell me anything we don't already know. Said you're a fed, said you'd pay- Listen, I really don't think you need to hear it again. You need to relax, have a drink, there's nothing we can do right now. I told you I'm working on getting in with some of this followers that are still around. There aren't many."

"Why does everyone think I can just go take a nap or have a damn drink while she's stuck with _him_?" Mike was getting so frustrated with everyone. He knew they were trying to help, but it was as if they were completely forgetting about what was going on. Completely forgetting that at this moment there was an innocent person being hurt because of him. He couldn't just stand by and let that happen just because of a lack of information.

"Mike, stop! I'm not saying stop looking, I'm saying that there is literally nothing that you can do at this point."

"We've gotta look for her! Search houses of known followers... "

"We can't just go in and search, Mike. That'd only tip them off. We can't search them all at once. What if we guess wrong? Don't doubt for a second that they'd kill her the instant they knew the feds were out looking."

Of course Briggs was right, but Mike still hated the fact. He buried his face in his hands, letting out out a frustrated sigh.

"You'll outsmart them in the end, Mikey. You know that."

"Yeah, well we don't have that much time to waste unfortunately."

The two just sat in silence for a few minutes after that. There was nothing else to say, really. There was no arguing the fact that they had a limited amount of time. Neither even brought up the possibility that she was already dead. After all - how long would they really wait to do it? The whole point was to get back at Mike, and killing her was the worst they could do. It'd be doing what they thought he did to their friends.

Mike heard footsteps coming down the stairs, but he didn't even turn to see who it was. Hopefully they would just pass by, it was hopeless to even attempt to comfort him at this point. But they slowed as they reached the living room and he knew that whoever it was was not going away, so he turned around. Paige stood there, looking extremely exhausted, her hair was up and messy - something Mike had learned she did when she was extremely busy. He could tell just by looking at her eyes that she tired.

"They traced the phone call."

Paige didn't need to be doing this. In fact, he didn't know why she was giving so much to the case. Abby wasn't her responsibility. Her carelessness hadn't caused this. But he was grateful. His housemates really were trying to help, even after he'd left for D.C. it was still the same as it had been before he'd left. A family that would stick together, a merry band of misfits. Well, maybe not so merry at the moment.

"It was a cell phone which I know we all already assumed. The call was made outside the city... Mike, you said it sounded like he threw the phone, right?"

Mike nodded, seeing where Paige was going with this. "Yeah, I'm almost positive."

"Well there's no signal anymore, which would make sense if it's broken. We could go check out the general area, see if we can find anything."

"Yeah... Yeah, that's a great idea! If we check where the call was dropped we have a good chance of finding the phone, right?" Mike was getting a little more hopeful now. They could probably track the serial number, find out where the phone was purchased - or if it was stolen, who it was stolen from.

"C'mon then, Levi," Paige smiled in that way that made Mike smile back, even with all of the shit going on. She seemed to have that kind of affect on people. Or on him, anyway.

* * *

"Mike, c'mon..."

"I just don't feel like listening to music right now."

Paige huffed in the seat next to him, crossing her arms and leaning back against the seat. It wasn't like Mike was deliberately trying to be a buzz kill, but she just wasn't in the mood - no matter how obnoxiously long of a drive they were on. He wondered how this asshole had managed to drive so far with Abby in his car without anyone noticing anything was wrong. Of course, he knew there were ways, but he preferred not to think about it. The whole situation was sickening enough already.

"You would think _someone_ would have seen something," Mike shook his head, looking around at the desert around them. There had only been a few cars that had passed them since they turned onto this road about a half hour before. It was almost deserted, of course no one had noticed. But they had to be coming from somewhere, right?

"Hey, the plan is just to find the phone, remember? It might help."

"Yeah, but-"

"I'm turning the radio on."

Paige leaned forward, turning the dial and searching for a station. Of course it landed on Top 40.

"Oh, yes, there's nothing like Daft Punk to explain my mood right now."

He was trying to joke, trying to be a little bit more lighthearted. That was easier said than done. Paige seemed to be humoring him, because she laughed just slightly after he said it.

"Well, maybe it'll cheer you up or something?"

"Yeah... Not so sure about that."

A moment later, Mike turned his attention to their GPS. They were almost there now. Suddenly so nervous he felt like he might throw up, he slowed the car down. They'd get out and look for the phone and hopefully it might lead them to Abby. He pulled just off the road and turned to Paige. He must have looked as panicked as he felt, because she reached out and placed her hand on his shoulder.

"Hey, it'll be here."

Mike just nodded. There was no way to tell, but he hoped she was right.

He finally took a deep breath and opened the door, stepping out of the car. Paige followed. Their eyes scanned the ground, every inch of it they could. It had to be here. It was the only actual lead they had. He had to resist the urge to throw a tantrum and just kick everything in sight that wasn't the phone. Honestly, that's what he felt like doing.

But then he saw it.

He never thought he'd be so excited to see a shattered little piece of plastic. It was small and grey - the kind of phone you could buy at most places for next to nothing. But that was a good sign. He didn't even notice that Paige had walked up behind him until she was there.

"See? Told you."


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: Don't own Graceland.**

_A/N: So glad you guys are enjoying! This chapter seems kind of choppy I know, but I didn't know how else to write it. Hope you enjoy!_

* * *

Abby was woken up with a kick to her side, the only way that she seemed to be woken up anymore. All of a sudden she felt stupid for ever complaining about her alarm waking her up early back when she was at school. That seemed perfect now. She'd give anything to go back. She just wanted out of here.

Groggily, she got up, holding her side where he had kicked her. It hurt, but she knew there was no point in complaining. If she didn't get up herself, he'd pull her up and it'd be even more painful.

"Sleep well, princess?"

Abby didn't answer - it was always better to stay quiet. He'd just talk at her, which was far better than any of the alternatives. She was getting better at keeping herself at least as safe as possible now. Though whether that was because of the way she acted or because he was just getting bored, she had no idea. Of course the answer to his question was no. She was used to sleeping in a bed, not on a concrete floor. And, no matter how much she had hated sleeping alone when Mike had broke things off, she much preferred that to this.

"I hope so, because you have big day today."

Again, she said nothing. She just pulled her legs to her chest, wrapping her arms around her knees. Anything to make her feel smaller, more invisible. It didn't work this time, though, because the next moment, his hand was rooted in her hair. She yelped as he pulled her to her feet roughly, keeping his grip on her hair even after she was standing.

"Did you forget how to speak?"

"No..."

No matter what she did, he always seemed angry, like he was just looking for an excuse to hurt her. She imagined, as usual, that at this moment Mike came bursting through the door and this could all finally be over. But of course there was no crash from upstairs, no one running down the stairs, and definitely no one in the room with them.

"Good. Because you have to give our friend Michael your last words."

Abby immediately panicked. Okay, she knew this was coming. The point of her being here was to hurt Mike, and she knew that in this man's mind the best way to do so was to kill her. But she didn't want to die. She didn't want this situation to continue, but she didn't want to die. Nothing was supposed to go this way. And, honestly, she was terrified.

"No... Please..."

"And we're back to this begging now?"

Abby gripped his shirt, shaking her head.

"I already told you I don't know anything! I don't know where Mike is... I- I know he didn't kill anyone. Please just let me go."

But he just smirked, tightening his grip on her hair and shoving her against the wall.

"Oh, don't cry... You said it yourself. Your Michael will come find you."

There was a moment of silence before he finally let go of her hair, but he did not move away.

"Come on, we're going on a little trip."

* * *

"He bought it _here__." _

Mike felt sick to his stomach. It was the same Best Buy that he had gone to with Bello what seemed like a lifetime ago now. The only upside of the situation was that this meant they must be close. But that didn't help at all, really. She could be anywhere. They could have just kept driving after the call they had made. There were so many possibilities, and he was no closer to finding her than he had been when he arrived.

Paige was with him as well, arms crossed. She chewed on her lower lip, thinking. Mike never understood how she could be so calm. Any damn situation she got thrown into, she never seemed frazzled, upset, _anything._ He didn't know if it was a personality thing or if she was just a better agent than he ever would be, but either way he wished he could do the same.

He took a deep breath before finally opening his mouth to speak.

"Okay. We can check the security cameras. Last Tuesday evening. Get a description. See if Briggs or anyone can recognize him."

Paige nodded in response.

"That's what I was thinking. Also, he only bought one."

Mike looked at her, or rather right past her, but Paige wasn't about to let him get so lost in his thoughts that he overlooked this.

"He only bought one, so he might be back. I mean, he could have gone somewhere else, but if he's still in the area, there's a good chance he'll come back here."

Mike didn't react right away. He didn't want to get his hopes up, thinking that maybe she was right. Chances were, he wouldn't even be back. He probably bought another phone at some other store. He seemed to be taking every precaution to make sure it couldn't be traced to him. He paid in cash and everything. One slip up could lead to them finding Abby, but he didn't think that whoever this was was going to let one slip up happen.

"What, you don't think he'll be back?"

Mike just looked at her and shrugged.

"No... I don't."

Paige sighed, looking slightly fed up.

"Think about it. He's going to want to call you again. He's not going to... He's not going to kill Abby without you being able to witness it."

"What if he already bought the phone somewhere else?" Mike felt like he was going to be sick. This was like a game of chess. Only instead of being a step ahead, he was two behind. There was no way he was going to catch up. For all they knew, he could have already bought another phone. He could have killed her already. He could just be waiting around for them to catch on and find her. There were so many possibilities, and only one of them worked out in their favor. Why couldn't Bello's have come after him instead? No one else should be punished for the things he did.

* * *

Abby could barely breathe. She was in the trunk of his car. Apparently, wherever they were going, he couldn't risk her being in the front seat as she had been last time. She still didn't understand how he managed to get her in there with no one seeing. She'd put up a fight and everything. It had only earned her what would be another bruise and another deep cut across her stomach that she was sure was going to leave a scar if she was even alive that long, but she had tried.

Maybe everyone was on his side. Hell, she didn't know. But there was no way that no one could have seen or heard that happen. Or maybe they did, but it didn't matter now. They could call the police, but how would they find her now? She doubted they'd be returning to the house, and something told her that his man didn't care at all whether he got caught or not.

After what simultaneously seemed like an eternity and no time at all, the car slowed down. He parked, and her heart started hammering in her chest. But he didn't open the trunk. She heard the car door shut, but his footsteps continued on. She wanted to scream. She wanted to scream so badly, but she was petrified. She had no idea where they were, or how far away he was. Her shirt was already soaked through with blood and her stomach ached. She didn't want to risk even more, given how it had turned out the last time.

Her head was starting to get cloudy. The lack of air and loss of blood, she assumed. Maybe she should scream...

It took her last ounce of energy, but she did. Someone had to hear.

_"HELP!"_


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I do not own Graceland.**

_A/N: I hope you're all enjoying the story. Here goes..._

* * *

"God damn you would think that would have been easier."

It was Paige who was angry now. It'd taken almost two hours to get the tapes they needed, even after Mike had showed them his badge. At least they had them now. Now going through them and trying to go figure out who it could possibly be was going to be the more difficult part.

"Nothing's ever ea-"

Mike cut himself off quickly. Paige looked in the direction he was - the same rack where they had found the type of phone he'd bought before. There was a man there, grabbing one off of the shelf, examining the plastic case. Mike felt like he might be sick and wanted to cry with relief at the same time. Though, he was sure he should be more cautious.

Paige grabbed his arm, obviously thinking the same thing, and dragged him out of the man's line of vision.

"Do you recognize him?" she asked hesitantly. Of course, this guy was not the only person who was going to go and try to purchase one of those phones.

"Uh... I'm not sure." Mike was being completely honest. He was naturally observant, even more so because of his job, but still it had been a long time since he had trained Bello's men. How was he supposed to be sure if this was one of them or not?

"We should follow him," Paige said quickly. Mike was quick to nod his head in agreement. Thank God it was Paige with him and not someone who would be more inclined to wait and check in with the bureau and everything else. There wasn't any time for that. And besides, if it got out who was searching for Abby, it would give away exactly who he was, and he was sure it would only make them kill her faster. He couldn't let that happen. If this was the guy, and he was buying a phone, that meant Abby was still alive, didn't it? What other point would there be in calling him again.

Paige wasn't wasting any time. She handed him the keys to the car, leaning over to whisper to him.

There was something strange about the close contact, but Mike ignored it. He didn't have time to worry about things like that right now. This was important.

"Go out to the car. Get in the back and hide. If it's him, he'll recognize you."

Mike nodded quickly, taking the keys.

"I'll stay here and wait until he leaves so we know which car to follow. He shouldn't know who I am..."

Mike's stomach turned. What if he did, though? Luckily Paige was armed, but still. How much did they know about the people he associated with? What if everyone was in more danger than he thought? That could very well be true, and it was all his fault when it came down to it. He hadn't been careful enough. Graceland hadn't burned because of him, but he wasn't naive enough to think that it wasn't a possibility.

He was only dragging Paige deeper into everything by having her help him. And he knew she must know.

He grabbed her hand after a moment, giving it a squeeze.

"Thank you."

Paige stopped for a moment, glancing down at their hands before looking back up at him. Her expression had changed for a moment, but a smirk was on her lips before he knew it.

"As much as I love this mushy shit, you better get outside."

Mike smiled, not as forced as most of his smiles were, and dropped her hand.

"Yeah. Alright... Just, be careful."

And with that, Mike made his way out of the store, making sure to stay as far away from the man as possible, checking out of the corner of his eye to make sure he was facing the other way. He didn't know where Abby was, but he didn't want to endanger her in any way, which confronting the man - if this was even him - could possibly do.

He made his way outside, unlocking the car and getting inside. He noted that the car next to theirs had not been there before. Immediately, he was suspicious, though he knew he shouldn't be. The old beat up car was nothing like any of the ones Bello's men would have been driving - not if they were higher ups, anyway. And it was a busy parking lot, there were so many other cars... His could be literally any of them.

* * *

Abby was drifting in and out of consciousness, but everything was fuzzy even when her eyes were open. Her hands clutched her stomach, trying to slow the bleeding. The cut must have been deeper than she thought, and when she realized this the pain only seemed to intensify. Realizing that it wasn't helping, she began to panic and kick at the wall.

She tried to scream again, but it came out as more of a whisper.

_"Help. Someone please... Help."_

And she could hear them - footsteps. Not far away, maybe even a few feet, she heard a car door open and close.

She tried to scream again, but her voice was still weak. There was no way that anyone was going to hear her. Tears flowed down her cheeks and she lifted her arms, slamming them against the roof. They didn't even seem to be making much of a sound at all.

There were more footsteps, quicker this time, and the sound of the door to the car she was in opening. She had hope for just a second that someone would open the trunk and tell her that everything was okay, that they found her and that this man was going to jail. But all that she heard was the sound of the car starting.

Then there were rushed footsteps so faint she could barely hear them over the hum of the engine. And, even quieter, she heard a door close, but they were already driving. Whoever had just gotten into the car that was only a few feet away from her either didn't know or didn't care that she was there.

* * *

Mike watched as best he could from where he was seated on the floor. He didn't want to risk even sitting up in the back seat.

"He doesn't even seem to know I'm following him yet," Paige pointed out. Of course, they were still in the city, and still driving on a busy street. She knew she was going to have to be much more careful if he turned off somewhere more remote. If they had known this was going to happen, they could have tagged the car, technically illegally of course, but neither seemed to be exactly following the rules.

"Hopefully he doesn't find out."

Hopefully this was actually him.

Hopefully Abby was still alive.

He still could not believe all of this was happening. A week ago, he had been in Washington D.C. missing everyone from Graceland. A week ago, he had assumed that Abby was back on the East Coast somewhere, living her life. A week ago he hadn't realized how much he had done to mess that up. He didn't say any of this out loud - he didn't want to be any more of a burden than he already was. Paige was always there for him, and he realized that, but he didn't want to put any more weight on her shoulders. She was doing more than she should be helping him already, putting herself in more danger than necessary, and above all she was honestly helping someone who didn't deserve it. He didn't deserve the support he had, he was positive.

"Mike, I know what you think about when you're this quiet."

Shit, Paige didn't let him get away with anything.

"Yeah?"

"A lot of self loathing and angst, mostly."

It was so painfully accurate that he would have laughed if he wasn't incapable of doing so at the moment.

"Come on, Mike. You've been here for a week and that's all you've done."

"Sorry that I'm a little upset I got my ex girlfriend kidnapped by a murderer..."

"Shit, Mike.. I'm not saying you have to be happy or anything, I'm just saying you've been acting like a teenage boy. All this self loathing stuff, you can't blame it all on yourself."

"Yes, I can. It's my fault, isn't it?"

"So one of Bello's men got some information on you. It happens."

"It shouldn't have!"

"But it did, Mike."

"Is this supposed to be helping or making me feel like shit? Because-"

"You are literally impossible."

Paige groaned and Mike buried his face in his hands. He could really do without the lecture right now, even if he probably needed it.

"I- I'm sorry..."

Mike _did_ feel bad. He knew that they were happy to have him back at Graceland, he could tell the moment he walked in the door. He would have been happy to be back if it were under any other circumstances. It wasn't as if he didn't appreciate what they were doing for him. He wanted to be enjoying himself, he wanted to be going out with them every night like the used to, or even just spending evenings in watching TV, or just working on their own respective cases together.

"Don't be. It's hard, I know."

Mike wanted to point out that she probably _didn't _know given the fact that he was almost certain she had never gotten an innocent person kidnapped but he bit his tongue.

The two sat in silence as they continued on. Paige made sure to keep the car far enough behind their target as they started to head out of the city. The longer they drove and the farther out of the city they got, she trailed farther and farther behind, occasionally letting cars pass them, only to speed up after a while. As long as he didn't realize that the same car was behind him. They couldn't afford to let that happen, especially given the fact that Abby could be with him now.

Mike just kept his eyes trained on the window, though he couldn't seem much. He had to look outside or he'd get dizzy, and given the fact that his stomach was already churning, he couldn't afford that right now.

"He's slowing down." Paige spoke the words in a whisper, as if she were scared that he might be able to see her talking in the rearview mirror.

Mike's heart started to race as he felt the car turn.

"How far ahead is he?"

"A hundred yards," Page answered.

They would have to stop the car, especially considering it appeared that he was slowing down.

"I'm going to let him get far enough ahead he can't see us..."

Mike wasn't exactly happy about that, especially considering Abby might be there - this only confirmed it for him now. What other person would drive off down some deserted road just to stop.

The car slowed to a stop and Mike finally peeked his head out, peering out the windshield. The car was far away, but it didn't seem to be getting any smaller.

Before either of them even had time to react, or to plan any action, his phone started buzzing.

Already knowing who it was going to be, he forced himself to let it ring twice before answering.

"Hello?"

_"Mike!"_

"Abby?"

_"Mike... He's going to kill me... He-"_

"Hello, Michael."


End file.
